12 items you need for summer festivals – Don’t Forget Number 3!

The festival season is long anticipated by adults across the globe. In many ways music festivals are as close to the summer holidays as you get after age 18. Just a few days in the year where you can shake off adulthood, forget responsibility and become the let loose teenager you could never afford to be again. Sweat drenched patrons hypnotically dance to their favourite records from their favourite artists. Music fans have the opportunity to discover numerous new acts in one environment. Nothing quite beats discovering new music and nothing quite beats the festival season.

There is literally a music festival for any and all music fans. There are major festivals throughout the world that cater to fans of Hip-Hop, Jazz, Electronic, Rock, and everything in between. Festivals can however be tricky – especially for first timers. It can be hard to feel carefree and fun when there’re so many things to remember to do and have in order for your time to run smoothly. If you fail to prepare then you should more than likely plan to fail. The old adage is a way of life and a helpful reminder come festival season. Preparation is the most important and necessary steps to guarantee a comfortable and stress-free trip.

Thoroughly prepare, because once you enter the festival grounds you are more often than not there for good. While your neighbours will be friendly and willing to help all you first timers, you do not want to have to rely on others for your essentials. You will be at ease if you have all the necessities already when you arrive.

1. The Tent

Your tent is one of the most important staples of your festival experience, while simultaneously the most indispensable. Your tent will be your personal corner of sanctuary. What little sleep you get, will take place here. Each prominent outfit you style will come together here in your tent, so it’s important that the tent is roomy.

Due to the unpredictable nature of festival weather your tent needs to be durable and easy to assemble – that’s why we’ve opted for the trail pop up tent for quick and easy put together so you can get right to the fun of the festival. However at the end of your stay – when all is said and done and there’s mud up to your knees ands you’ve not slept properly in 4 days you may not feel like packing, dismantling and tidying away a tent so you’ll find lots of festival goers just leave their tent in the field. That’s why we’ve chose a tent with a tidy little price tag so you won’t feel guilty if it ends up in a trash bag at the end of your weekend.

2. Clothing

Some festivals are as much about the clothes as they are about the music. They’re the ideal place to show off your inner bohemian unicorn camping look. Finding the right middle ground between stylish and practical however can be difficult – you can read through our festival fashion guide to help you create some celebrity inspired looks at an affordable price. With all the added need to know information to ensure you’re prepared for everything.

3. Water Bottle

Dotted around the festival they’ll be free water points that you’ll slowly learn are you life line. When the festival comes around you’ll be thanking yourself that you were smart enough to bring your water bottle. Hydration is key to keep you going at a festival, the mixture of heat, alcohol and vigorous dancing can actually be fatal if you’re not drinking enough water.

However you may be thinking, surely I’ll just buy water while I’m there? Well at £3 a bottle with the bottle being made of flimsy plastic you may end up spending more than you wish for something you can get for free. The H2Glow water is great for festivals made with flashing LED lights that activate with the press of a button. It creates three different flashing light patterns, ensuring even when you’re being responsible you’re the life of the party.

4. BBQ

So if you’re a savvy shopper (and we think you are) then you won’t be looking to spend £15 per meal at whatever questionable food trucks you find at your festival of choice. So taking some form of cooking is essential for those early morning breakfasts or evening meals. The ideal product is simple, a lightweight thermal backpack great for storing all of your food to ensure it stays as fresh as it can in a tent, an instant BBQ, a stand to hold it high and keep the ground safe – it can also be used for other disposable BBQ’s you bring so it’s handy for the whole weekend.

Even better news is that the environmentally minded can be happy in the knowledge that the BBQ supplied in this deal is smokeless, odourless and made from renewable bamboo, perfect for tightly packed campsites.

5. Torch

Torch’s are essential for well finding things in the dark – obviously. While you may be thinking this is the era of smart phones with built in torches, how smart will you feel when everyone’s phone has died and you’re the only person with a torch to be able to find the chargers. Also it helps to have something on hand that won’t drain the life from your phone and as it happens torches are much more eco friendly than single use throw away glow sticks that you may often find fellow festival goers using to light up the path home.

You can keep your campsite lit up all night long with this LED clamp torch. Attaching this to one of the poles on your tent will make it feel like you have actual electricity and lighting – something you’ll definitely be missing by the end of your weekend.

6. Portable Charger

There is no electricity at a festival – sometimes you have to remind yourself this constantly. We live in world that is very reliant on electricity without even realising sometimes. The worst thing to happen is for your phone to die on day one and realise you have no means of charging it.

No pictures, no instagram and no way of finding out where at the main stage the rest of your group is. Pre charge your power bank before you leave – it may even be worth buying a couple of power banks to keep you on full charge all weekend. This power bank doubles as a compact meaning you get a charger and a mirror in one device – that’s two items ticked off the list.

7. Bin Bags

I cannot stress the importance of bringing bin bags. Tidy up after yourself. Bin bags work better than sleeping in the midst of the filth and makes the work for the clean up crew a hell of a lot easier! And as a bonus you can use them to keep your stuff dry.

8. Sleeping Bag

Comfortable sleeping is always going to be hard when you’re in a field, but enabling it to be slightly comfier will be reflected in how much you enjoy the following day. So a comfy sleeping bag is a must! Don’t rely on little blankets to keep you warm and comfortable, sleeping bags have added padding to make the ground below you soft enough to get a good night’s sleep. Complete with a full zip and fold away design, the VW Campervan Sleeping Bag can also be doubled up as a blanket for when you don’t feel like sleeping, which we imagine will be quite a lot. You rebellious little thing.

9. First Aid Kit

If you need it explaining why a first aid kit is an important piece of equipment to have at a festival then i’m not really sure if you should be trusted to go to a festival. Chances are you’ll not actually need it but if you do you’ll be glad to have it. Besides you can swap out the plasters in your first aid kit for some glittery ones and take stickers to cover up bandages so that if you have an accident at the festival that you’re able to deal with yourself you can still look stylish.

10. Entertainment

Besides from the obvious of what to do at a festival (music) you may fancy a little alternative entertainment when you’re around the campsite. Just something to pass the time while you’re waiting the BBQ to fire up. Solid Drinking Darts is the true test of how unstable people can get after a few drinks. Each section on the board offers up a different instruction complete with an automatic shot for anyone that misses the board, Solid Drinking Darts is a fantastic addition the campsite banter.

11. Wet Wipes

There will be showers, but they may not clean and they may not be accessible without a long wait in line – so what’s the option for cleaning yourself? Wet wipes. Cringe but that’s what camping and festivals are all about. They are however the most easily forgotten item at festivals leaving many festival goers slightly stickier than they’d like to be. Perfect for on-the-go use, these Eco Wipes from Australian Bodycare effectively help to refresh the skin. Also suitable for general use on surfaces, the wet wipes remove bacteria.

12. Sun Cream

Festival season equals outdoor time, which in turn equals extreme sun exposure. Whether you’ll be grooving at Osheaga or camping out in Bonnaroo, sun protection is crucial. With the constant moving around and slight intoxication that comes along with festivals it can be easy to forget about protecting yourself from the sun until you’re red raw and it’s all a little too late. This conveniently styled wrist band contains three full body applications of SPF20 sunscreen in a set of four different colours, making it easy to protect against damaging UV rays on the go. Enabling you to carry your sunscreen with you at all times and still rock it as a stylish accessory.